Lies We Lead
by GHOSTSherri
Summary: Things are on the horizon that no one foresaw. Old alliances will crumble, new ones will be forged. Old friends will be fought and old grudges will be laid to rest. All bets are off and there's no telling who will make it out alive. Kyuubi is no longer the biggest predator out there...


**A/N: So, this story is actually one that I started...6 years ago? With a friend of mine, and boy has it changed! It is published on deviantArt as well, under the same title, same username. dA has a more in depth look at the differences between the stories then and now, but the chapters posted here are of better quality. bIt will be majorly A/U and will have all sorts of new characters and even a plot that deviates quite a bit from the main story line. But all the characters from the series will be included, and several plot elements will stay the same. Starts after the Mist Arc.**

**Chapter rating: T**

**Warnings: Language and mild violence.**

**At the bottom are links to pictures of the characters, because I'm having a hard time describing some of them.**

**I own nothing but my original characters.**

**XxX**

_Years ago, playing ninja by the water, we made promises. To ourselves, to our clans. To each other.  
Some were broken, others remained in tact.  
Some of us left, others stayed.  
Some of us learned to live, others had to die.  
Life became complicated and tore us apart.  
Now, who has to pick up the pieces?_

"Yuki-san, is something wrong?" The Mizukage asked. There was a raven-haired girl sitting cross-legged on the dock, watching the waves.

"Yes and no. Something feels wrong. But...nothing is." Yuki said softly.

"I'm sorry, Aibou..." The Mizukage sighed and sat next to her most loyal guard.

"No apologies, m'lady." Yuki sighed and said, "Kashi-san is probably already gone, hm?"

"Yes. It is a shame about Zabuza and Haku. We shall need to find replacements promptly." The Mizukage said, frowning.

Yuki jumped up. "REPLACEMENTS?!" she shrieked and glared at the Mizukage.

"I meant no offense. Just...we need a full guard in case something happens. Kiri is weak right now, and-"

"I. Cannot. Believe you..." Yuki hissed, "Putting our village before our friends...what happened to friends before anything else?"

"Yes, yes, yes, Self, friends, family. I remember. Things change, Yuki. People change. You, of all people, should know this. Zabuza and Kisame left, do you really expect things to be the same for us? Grow up, Yuki. Life moves on. You are the only one who stayed in the past." The Mizukage snarled and Yuki fell silent, tears in her eyes.

"Go cry. That's all you ever did." The Mizukage stood up and vanished.

Yuki looked up to the sky, eyes glassy. Maybe the Mizukage was right. But...

XxX

"Kakashi!" A chunin called, running up to the silver-haired ninja.

"Yes, Genma?" Kakshi responded as his genin stopped behind him. They hadn't even entered the village yet.

"Were there any reports of missing Mist nin?"

"No, why?" Kakashi asked cooly. He just wanted to get home and relax. The incident with Momochi had been harrowing in all aspects.

"We just discovered a Mist ninja, only a little ways from the Academy. No one knows how she got in, but she is unconcious now. Bloody. And...I don't know if I should tell you this...but she said a name...before she passed out." Genma said, lowering his voice.

"A name, hm? That is terribly vague," Kakashi sighed, not understanding why someone thought he should know about a wayward Mist villager.

"She said..." Genma leaned in close and whispered, "She said 'Itachi' and she didn't sound too happy."  
Kakashi froze, glancing over at his raven-haired genin, who had went still as well. He had no doubt heard his brother's name. Genma wasn't known for his ability to whisper. Naruto and Sakura were arguing about what the Mist nin was doing in Konaha.

"Where is she?" Kakashi demanded, already moving.

"At the Hokage's office, but wait, that's not the worst part." Genma said, catching up with the taller man.

"What do you mean?" Kakashi asked, pausing.

"Maybe you should see for yourself, but...I think she knows you. She had a picture of you in her vest pocket, apparently she was asking for you. Panicked quite a few people." Genma said, leading the way to the Hokage's office.

"Why don't you three go get do...something." Kakashi said, kneeling in front of his genin and ruffling Naruto's hair, "But stay out of trouble." He directed his attention to Sasuke, who stayed still, arms crossed, as Naruto and Sakura ran off. "Please, Sasuke. I don't know anything about her right now. Let me investigate. I don't she knows anything about Itachi."  
Sasuke narrowed his eyes and left.

XxX

"Hey! You five! Stop where you are!" The chunin at the gate ordered as five figures approached. There were four women and one male in the group. Each step was taken in unison and they walked forward, heads held high in confidence.

"Stop where we are, hm?" A young woman with long blonde hair to her waist purred as they stopped, once again in unison.

"Since we do we listen to chunin?" A fiery haired woman spat, crossing her arms aggressively.

"Terrible manners, not too," A brunette girl said quietly, rubbing her hands in front of her chest.

"No, their manners are terrible for not letting us pass," Another girl, with darker brown hair said, turning her head to the blonde, who stood at her immediate right. This brunette was clearly the leader.

"Ignorance, my dear, is the reason they are being so rude. To not know who we are...it's sad, truly." The blonde tilted her head towards the chunin. Her bangs covered one eye.

"That is ignorance on the Council's fault, not his," The quiter brunette mumbled to her companion.

"Ignorance, none the less," The blonde responded cooly, examining the man impeding their path.

"Who-who are you?" The chunin demanded again. They all wore different headbands, except the male and the red head, who both wore the same. They weren't armed, but something about them made the guard nervous.

The leader sighed and said, "We are the Dragons. You know us now?"

The blonde snorted, crossing her arms, "Doubtful."

"D-Dragons...It can't be! They are only legend!" The chunin gasped, taking a hesitant step back.

"Legends, now, are we?" The redhead laughed, slicking her long crimson hair back over her shoulder.

"You flatter us," The blonde said, a hand underneath her jaw. She was from the Mist, a fact shown by the headband on turquoise cloth that was tied around her forearm.

"Mist genin aren't participating, what's the problem?" A voice asked and the group turned as one towards the source. Two people stood not far away.

"Genin!? I oughta beat your ass back to the First War!" The blonde shrieked in indignation, clenching her fists and stomping her foot.

"Sarutobi Asuma. I'll be damned," The leader smirked and the Leaf jonin sighed. Both ignored the blonde's protests.

"I should have known. How are you guys?" Asuma asked, approaching them with Kurenai close behind.

"We would be better if we could rest," The blonde said with a pout, crossing her arms irrately.

"Be nice, Lavenski. Be happy you weren't killed on sight for being from the Mist," Asuma warned her, ruffling the younger man's hair, which was forest green.

The blonde snorted and shook her head, her long hair flicking around her. "As if anyone from this place could hurt me." She said, shrugging.

"Someon'e a little too confident, Kakashi may have to knock you back down to size. I suppose your wanderings have been going well?" Kurenai said, hugging the leader.

The blonde shrugged. "Well enough, I guess." She looked upwards, covering her eyes from the sun and frowning.

"Thank you for coming. It's just a precaution, of course, but your presence will be welcome," Asuma informed the leader.

"Thank you, we are happy to be back," The leader smiled and the male finally spoke.

"Where are we staying? I'm hungry."

All the women laughed and Asuma shook his head. "Come on, baka. We have people to introduce you to." Asuma slapped the green-haired boy in the back of the head and lead the way into Konaha.

XxX

"You hit like a fucking bitch!" A girl screamed as the man punched her in the chest, sending her tumbling backwards. She jumped up, falling into a fighting stance.

Instantly, the man was in front of her, gripping her neck so tight she couldn't breathe. She simply raised her eyebrow at him as if to say, 'That all ya got?'

The man growled and flung her away with a punch to the mouth, the girl rolling across the ground. She spat out blood and charged him, receiving a brutal kick to the jaw that sent her flailing backwards. She tried to stand but couldn't; her shaking knees gave out and she dropped to her knees, huffing for breath and holding her ribs, glaring at the man standing in front of her.

"You won't beat them at this rate, Maya-kun," The man purred, holidng out his hand to her.

She huffed and took it, standing up and adjusting her head band, which hid one eye. "I will, too! I owe that bitch for this..." She snarled and touched her headband.

"And they will be repaid, but you must get stronger," The man purred, hugging her from behind and kissing her neck.

"Yes, I will kill them all..." She nodded, leaning into his touch.

XxX  
Kakashi pushed open the door to the room and sighed. He was concerned that he would know her, and he did. She lay on a bed, bloody and bruised. She had obviously lost a very brutal fight.

"Kasumi?" He called lightly, not expecting a response. She didn't move and he sighed again, rubbing his face. He truend as someone entered.

"Lord Hokage, the Dragons have arrived," A chunin said, looking confused. "That's what Asuma said."

The Hokage glanced at Kakashi, and nodded, dismissing the chunin. "Will they know about her?"

"I...I'm not sure. When last I spoke to Miko, Kasumi was missing. But Miko will be able to help us," Kakashi nodded.

"It is strange that she was looking for you, and that she said Itachi..." The Hokage said thoughtfully.

Kakashi frowned and examined Kasumi, thinking _You found Itachi, didn't you? So...did you find Kisame?_Kakashi shook his head and said, "We will probably want to contact Kiri and see if they know where she has been. It's possible she wanted to warn us about something."

the Hokage nodded and looked outside. "It bothers me that so much is happening with the Chunin exams so near...To think, we actually felt the need to call the Dragons..."

"Mahea would have come, anyway. Gaara is participating this year, and Mahea is close to him. Zching would have come as well, with Mahea, and Kaiba...well, he had nothing better to do, no doubt. He enjoys watching fights."

"And the other two?" The Hokage asked, sitting behind his desk.

"Makeyla likes fights, too, and Miko...well, who knows what is going through her mind," Kakashi said.

Just then the door opened and Asuma and Kurenai entered, with the Five Dragons in tow.

"Damn," Kakashi sighed as he saw the blonde, who looked downright pissed to see him.  
XxX  
Yuki raced through the trees, avoding kunai thrown at her. She growled at her pursuer and dropped out of sight, hiding behind a tree. "Aiko! Come on, I'm sorry!" Yuki exclaimed, calling into the Mist.

The black-haired girl, known as Aiko, landed in front of her, snarling and lunging at Yuki.

"Please, Aiko!" Yuki gasped, rolling so she was on top of the girl. "Stop and listen!"

"He's dead, and you didn't help him!" Aiko screamed up at Yuki, Yuki held her down while Aiko struggled to get up. Finnaly, aiko let out an exasperated sob and just started crying. Yuki leaned down and hugged her companion, whispering in her hair, "It's okay...you'll be okay..."

"No! Nothing is okay! it will never be okay! Everything is falling apart around us, everyone is leaving or dying...and we can't stop it!" Aiko sobbed.

Yuki closed her eyes and hugged Aiko tighter. The girl was right, everything was changing quicker than either of them could keep up with.

But...that's life, isn't it?

XxX

**There you have it! Sorry for so many new characters being introduced! Did I manage to keep most characters in character? I haven't seen the show in a little while so my timeline may be scratchy or twisted, but it is an A/U story, so... **

**Here is the link to my folder with all my Lies We Lead chapters and pictures :) See a character who hasn't been mentioned yet? You'll meet them soon! :)**

**gallery/38947614**

**Read and review, please!**


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